Reconnect a social network

The connections between Hootsuite and your social networks can require reconnecting for various reasons, which can be as simple as software updates or password changes. LinkedIn accounts, for example, require reconnecting every 365 days as a security measure.

Reconnect a social network as a first troubleshooting step if messages fail to post, streams don’t display content, or analytics data doesn’t populate.

When a social network is disconnected, a pop-up notification may appear upon sign-in, or in affected streams, that displays a Reconnect button to any Hootsuite user with permissions to reconnect the profile. That user also needs native social network credentials (username and password) to complete the reconnection.

For users who aren’t authorized to reconnect the profile, the notification displays the name of the last user to complete the reconnect process (where available). That user also receives an email with a link to sign in to Hootsuite to reconnect the account.

You might also see this symbol beside a disconnected social network in the management section of the dashboard.

To reconnect a social network

Click your profile picture ( by default) in the top-right corner of the dashboard, and then select Manage social networks.

Click the disconnected profile (or the profile that has been problematic).

Click Connect with (social network).

Enter your social network credentials, and then click to sign in. The social network may display additional permission prompts. Approve the prompts to complete the reconnection to the dashboard.

Instagram business profiles: Click Authenticate with Facebook to authorize the associated Facebook Page and ensure that direct publishing remains enabled.

To reconnect a Pro or Team organization’s social network

Click your profile picture ( by default) in the top-right corner of the dashboard, and then select Manage under the organization name.

Click the disconnected profile (or the profile that has been problematic).

Click the Profile Settings tab.

Click Connect with (social network).

Enter your social network credentials, and then click to sign in. The social network may display additional permission prompts. Approve the prompts to complete the reconnection to the dashboard.

Instagram business profiles: Click Authenticate with Facebook to authorize the associated Facebook Page and ensure that direct publishing remains enabled.

To reconnect an Enterprise organization's social network

Click your profile picture ( by default) in the top-right corner of the dashboard, and then select Manage under the organization name.

Click Social Networks under the organization name.

Select the disconnected profile from the list on the left and then click the Profile Settings tab.

Click Connect with (social network).

Enter your social network credentials, and then click to sign in. The social network may display additional permission prompts. Approve the prompts to complete the reconnection to the dashboard.

Instagram business profiles: Click Authenticate with Facebook to authorize the associated Facebook Page and ensure that direct publishing remains enabled.

Notes on reconnecting social networks

Facebook groups can only be reconnected with the credentials that were initially used to add the group to Hootsuite.

Only those with Facebook Administrator permissions can reconnect Facebook groups or Pages to Hootsuite.

Hootsuite connects automatically to any social networks currently open in your browser, so make sure you aren’t signed into any social networks natively, or reconnect in an incognito browser window, to ensure you are reconnecting with the correct account credentials.

Hootsuite uses cascading authentication, so that all pages, profiles and groups associated with the same native social network account can be reconnected at the same time (avoiding the need for individual authentication).

So while a user may not have permissions in Hootsuite to reconnect every page or profile, if they have permissions for one of them, the authentication will cascade and reconnect all the pages and profiles associated with the same native social network credentials.